How to Infuse Vodka With Coffee

The secret to successfully making coffee-infused vodka is using coarsely ground, fresh coffee beans. Dark-roast or espresso beans impart the most flavor.

Don’t Overdo It

Break individual coffee beans into smaller pieces by placing them between layers of cheesecloth and pounding them with a meat mallet or crushing them with a rolling pin. Crushing the beans exposes more surface area, which adds more flavor. Fill a jar with a tight-fitting lid with vodka, add the crushed beans and about a teaspoon of sugar. Put the lid on the jar and store it in a cool, dry space for at least a week. Shake the jar vigorously at least once a day. Once the vodka has steeped, strain it through cheesecloth or a paper coffee filter and store it in a clean bottle.

A Few Tips

The number of beans you use determines the strength of the coffee flavor in the vodka. Use fewer beans for a lighter taste and more for a stronger flavor. Fine grinds are harder to filter. If you find you must use ground coffee from the supermarket, or if you grind your own, strain it several times through the cheesecloth. As with most things, the higher the quality of vodka you infuse, the better the final product.